The First Day: The New Alchemist Emerges - Prelude
by AlchemistPenguinZ
Summary: This story tells about how Ryan, a very talented and capable alchemist, forms his first ties to the Elric brothers from the Fullmetal Alchemist Series.


Well, I guess you could say that it all started with a bump in the hallway. Third period was ending and the sea of moving faces began to swarm the small schoolyard. The quiet caw of birds and warm smell of cooking food echoed throughout the gentle May air, swaddling us, heh, how arrogant we all were.

Everyone else always seemed to get out of the classroom before I even got my bag packed, I mean, I did have a lot of stuff to carry. There was my journal of course, my two pencils and thin black pen, a history, several science and a math textbook, and the ever-dwindling pages of my notebook. The old alchemic volume was my favorite though. I don't know what it was about those handwritten inscriptions, but they drew me in close and I loved every minute of it. Nobody understands how I could find any interest in something as useless as alchemy, I guess that's another reason people seem to stay away from me. Of course, it could all come from me being 4 years younger than everyone in my class.

Anyway, as some of the kids were leaving, one knocked my books over and another stepped on them, leaving a ridged imprint over the crisp black words. They looked back, snickered, and ran off to lunch. I just sat there shaking my head and rubbing my temples with my forefingers. "Just hang tough," I sighed, "Only one more class after lunch and you get to go home." I slid back my chair and exchanged casual small talk with the teacher as I picked up my books. She was a rather portly woman who had absolutely no brains; honestly, a thumb tack would be brighter than her. Eager to get away from any intelligible conversation she rustled up her papers and hastened towards the door, bobbing up and down as she walked. I gave a half-hearted chuckle as I witnessed her fat rippling through her wrongfully tight black dress.

I made my way through the crowd and sat under a large oak tree to read through the alchemy book once again. I found it to be much more peaceful reading here, no one bothered me, including the ape-like upperclassmen. I liked to think during that time. The shade was great and just enough light got through to illuminate my dark green iris' to a glowing neon color, even through the flaps of my smokey brown hair. Time flew by until I realized that I was left alone and that everyone had already started going to their classes. I picked up my green pack and ran around a corner, slamming into the equally late pair of the Elric brothers. Edward and I were both 8, Alphonse being a year younger.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" yammered Edward as he rubbed his head.

"Sorry," Al and I said in unison, receiving crooked smiles from each other.

The black alchemy book had slid out of my fingers and next to Edward's hand. After he opened his eyes, he focused intently on the old relic. "Huh." he muttered, as he fingered through my beloved pages.

By now Alphonse had gotten up and helped me retrieve the loose papers scattered around me. I reached out my hand to help Ed to his feet. Tearing his attention away, he grabbed it and let out a slight grunt as he stood up.

"Thanks," he said, "sorry."

"No problem." I replied.

"Hey, this book looks great. Where did you find it?" he asked.

This sparked the interest of Al, "Yeah, that book looks different from any alchemy textbook I've ever seen."

"It's my-," I stopped.

"What?" Edward pressed.

"It's my grandfather's, well it used to be until he died."

"Oh, sorry to hear about that." said Alphonse with a sad frown traveling across his face.

"Don't worry about it. Hey, do you like alchemy too?!" I said with probably too much excitement.

They looked at each other and quite plainly answered, "Well, yeah."

"Great! Feel free to borrow that book anytime, I've got loads more at home."

Both of them smiled and looked very exchanged excited wide grins with each other. That's when we finally got formally introduced to one another, "I'm Alphonse and this is Edward." gestured Al as he handed back my book with his other arm.

"My name is Ryan, nice to meet you both."

Hi guys! I realize that this story is a bit short, but it's meant to be a precursor to the main story (and I wrote it in about 15 minutes when I felt a writing surge :)

Stay tuned for more FMA:B!


End file.
